2 Corinthians 1:23But I call God for a witness to my soul, that I didn't come to Corinth to spare you.
The setting
Ephesus, ~55 AD. Paul's enemies in Corinth claim he's unreliable, changes plans to manipulate them...
The emotion here: hurt and frustrated by false accusations from people he loves
The original word
martys (μάρτυρα) — witness in a courtroom, someone who stakes their life on truth
Why it matters
False apostles had infiltrated Corinth, turning the church against Paul's authority
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Corinthians 1:23
Paul is essentially saying 'May God strike me dead if I'm lying about my motives'
Common misconceptionPeople think Paul is being dramatic here. Actually, in his culture, calling God as witness was the strongest oath possible - equivalent to swearing on a stack of Bibles in court.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Corinthians 1:23
Bible Genome reading
2 Corinthians 1:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Corinthians 1:23 comes from the book of 2 Corinthians, written during the early_church period. These words are attributed to Paul. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the dialogue genre of biblical literature. Key themes include oath, pastoral care. Notable phrases: call God for a witness; spare you.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 2 Corinthians 1:23 mean to you, today?
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